There are ways to "walk lightly" on the earth, activities such as walking, hiking or bird-watching. And there are ways that are "heavy" and damaging. One of the worst disturbances is using gas-burning motorized machines.
High-alpine snowmobiling, ATVing, driving around on off-road vehicles, dirt biking -- all are ecologically damaging and fragment wildlife habitat. Not only are these machines noisy, smelly and highly polluting, they also spread invasive plant seeds in their wheels and undercarriages.
The discretionary burning of fossil fuels simply for back-country kicks -- in this age of a climate catastrophe caused by burning fossil fuels — is no longer acceptable.
The Regional District of Central Kootenay is currently conducting a survey to determine people's views on parks and trails (not just RDCK parks and trails but all parks and trails in the region). Some of the questions on the survey pertain to attitudes toward, and the desirability of, motorized access. This is an opportunity to speak up for the quiet, respectful enjoyment of nature, as opposed to our trails and parks being used for polluting motorized use that disturbs everyone else's peaceful experience.
Take a few minutes to help inform the RDCK’s Regional Parks, Trails, and Water Access Strategy. The survey took me about 10 minutes to complete, the online form was simple to use.
Please speak up for non-motorized use of RDCK trails and in RDCK parks. The environmental impacts of burning fossil fuels are too extreme -- for goodness sake, we are in the midst of a climate crisis caused by the burning of fossil fuels! Taxpayer's money should not be used to support fossil-fuel-based "recreation" that worsens the climate catastrophe.
Let's keep our parks and trails as bastions of sanity: places for peace and quiet, for soul-restoring, healthy outdoor exercise and recreation.
Lorna Visser, Director, Valhalla Foundation for Ecology